


Astronomy in Reverse

by galwaygirl



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Newt is a Dork, newt is instantly in love, that's about it, these boys are nerds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-06 16:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10339242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galwaygirl/pseuds/galwaygirl
Summary: Newt doesn't really like parties, but a certain brunet might make him reconsider.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Venus - Sleeping At Last
> 
> I'm not sure what this is and I'm not exactly proud of it but here it is.
> 
> Also, it took me like 20 tries to upload this, because ao3 kept deleting paragraphs or everything I wrote in cursive.
> 
> English is not my native language, so feel free to tell me about any mistakes you find.

It's not like Newt hated parties, he just disliked crowds. It was suffocating, the room was too small, everyone was too drunk and the music was too loud. He didn't know where is friends were, or the way out, for that matter. It's not like he could leave, anyway, because Minho had already shoved several drinks into Newts hands before he vanished with some girl. Brenda was elected the driver today, so she had to stay sober. Knowing Brenda, she probably went upstairs with the first willing person she could find. Newt didn't judge, minutes before they entered the party he even agreed with Minho that the best way to get over Beth would be to get under someone else, but it did leave him alone in a room full of people he didn't know. Newt wouldn't exactly say he is antisocial, he had three close friends and got along well enough with a few people he shared classes with, but most people at parties wanted a little more than just friendly business and Newt is not a one-night stand guy. He was also not a dancing guy, and that was what everyone here seemed to do, if the shameless grinding he witnessed still counted as dancing.

So, maybe he did hate parties, but who could blame him?

Newt took a rather big gulp from his drink and sighed frustrated. This was giving him a headache. He really needed to get some air. The question was: Where? He couldn't see anything between all these moving bodies. So he decided to move along the wall. What was the saying? When you're trapped in a maze, keep your right hand on the wall and you'll find the way out. When Newt finally found a door that led into a garden, he was more than a little relieved. He should really learn to say no to Minho. He really, really hated parties.

Newt sat down on the grass and took a few deep breaths. He could be sitting in his dorm now, alone and watching Netflix or reading a book. Or he could have gone to the library, for reading or even for studying. But no, Minho had to convince him to go to this stupid party and then leave him after a few drinks. If Alby would be here, maybe it would be bearable. But Alby was obviously smarter than Newt and told Minho he had to finish an essay Newt knew he finished three days ago. Traitor.  
Newt was so busy cursing his friend and pitying himself, that he didn't notice the boy until he sat down right next to him. 

And when he looked at him, Newt was speechless. 

That didn't happen often considering he had quite the big mouth and was a bloody english and literature major. But here he was, staring at the most beautiful boy he ever laid eyes on and trying very hard not to let his jaw drop. 

The love of his life was brunet. His hair was short and a bloody mess and Newts fingers were itching to run through it. His eyes were a whiskey color, but Newt didn't dare to look at them for too long because he was sure he wouldn't be able to look away. Instead he studied the moles the boy had apparently everywhere, which probably wasn't a really good idea either, because there was one really close to his mouth and then Newt was staring at his lips. Honestly, Newt imagined kissing him for barely a second and he felt his whole body burning. He was a goner. 

„It's Thomas.“ His head shot up and he just had to look into these eyes and Newt could confirm that, yes, they were goddamn amazing. He must have looked like an idiot, and he felt like one too, because the boy laughed (a heavenly laugh, by the way) and elaborated: „My name. It's Thomas.“ Newt frowned. „I didn't ask.“ Shit, did he just say that out loud? _Goodbye, beautiful and hot stranger, who I will think about for at least two months and regret all my decisions in life._ But, to his amazement, the boy, Thomas, just laughed again. „And I told you anyway. So, are you going to tell me your name or do I have to ask?“ Newt swallowed an immediate answer and pretended to think about it. He was not that desperate. After exactly twentyone seconds, which he didn't count and just knew because he owned a watch, he answered: „Name's Newt.“ A pleased smile spread on Thomas' face and Newt really wished it didn't do things to him.

„Newt.“ Newts stomach did a flip on the way he said his name, like it meant something to him. Then he told himself to calm the fuck down because this guy says his name and Newt is ready to jump him on the spot. „Thomas.“, Newt mocked him. The brunet looked at him and there was a gleam in his eyes that probably meant nothing good, at least for Newt. He was just glad he wasn't standing, because his legs would sure as hell give out under him and Newt would drop to his knees. And not in the pleasant way. 

„Did you know that Mercury might be the closest planet to the sun, but it's not the hottest?“ Newt blinked, confused. „What?“ „Yeah, it's only the second hottest. Venus is the hottest.“ Newt did not know that, but he was surpised that Thomas chose to talk about this. Newt expected 'What do you study' and 'Who dragged you to this horrible party', not fun facts about space. This boy was truly a miracle. But Newt could work with that. It was actually quite intriguing. „Why is that so?“, he asked and Thomas looked surprised for a split second. But he was back to grinning so fast, Newt would think he imagined it, if he hadn't payed so close attention. „Mercury doesn't have an atmosphere, which would help regulating its temperature. So while one half is scorching hot, the other is freezing. Venus is burning all over.“ Newt nodded, as if that made completely sense. It kind of did, actually. He wasn't an expert in all things space, but he would become an astronaut if it made Thomas happy. Screw literature. Thomas liked space? So space it is. 

„Which one is the coldest?“ „Well, Neptune is the coldest on average, but Uranus hits the coldest temperature of them all.“ Newt couldn't stop himself from smiling. He's been talking to this boy for barely a few minutes and already wants to spend the rest of his life with him. His mind offered a few helpful suggestions on how to describe Thomas, he was already starting to write a poem, something with stars and black holes and calling Thomas 'otherworldly'. He would be ashamed, if he wasn't so bloody fascinated. „There are amazing things happening in space probably right now.“ Newt hummed in agreement. He didn't say that there are amazing things on earth too, like new Ed Sheeran music or pancakes with Nutella or Thomas talking to Newt. Thomas made an excited sound, as if he remembered something. „Did you know they included E.T's species in The Phantom Menace?“ Newts eyes grew wide. „Oh my god!“ Thomas laughed and Newt almost choked. He didn't believe in perfect, flawless people. But he had yet to find something about Thomas that could bother him. Maybe he did drugs. Maybe he hated cats or thought Jurassic Park was stupid. Maybe he skipped school regulary or demanded to be Mario at Mario Kart (Newt would always play Mario and no one could take this from him) or maybe he killed a guy. Newt opened his eyes wide in shock. What if Thomas was _straight_? 

Why didn't Newt consider that? Was he really that stupid? Just because Newt was really gay and Thomas started talking to him didn't mean that Thomas was gay too. Maybe Thomas just saw him sitting there and pitied him. Alone, abandoned from his friends on a friday evening. Newt even pitied himself, so why wouldn't Thomas? He felt his face heat up and it probably took on this embarrassing shade of red just like when he once ran late into the wrong class and everyone stared at him. But if the brunet next to him noticed, he didn't say anything about it. 

„Imagine you were an animal.“ Newt took a deep breath to calm himself down. „Do you think you would be something dangerous or something small and cute?“ „I think I would be a cat.“ Thomas nodded, as if that was what he was thinking too. „So a little bit of both, right?“ He smiled at Newt and the blonds heart definitely did not stop for a second. He smiled back. „What about you?“ Thomas furrowed his brows. Newt had the urge to paint him, constellations on his skin and galaxies in his eyes. „I'd be like a golden retriever, I think.“ Newt had to laugh. „A cat and a dog? That's so boring!“ He couldn't stop giggling about it – maybe he was a little more drunk than he thought – and nervously ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. Why did he spend 20 minutes trying to make it look presentable and ruined it first chance he got? It was then that he catched Thomas looking at his mouth in a way that Newt wouldn't consider heterosexual, but it could also just be wishful thinking.

He cleared his throat and asked: „If you could commit a crime and get away with it, what would you do?“ Thomas' eyes snapped up and he blushed slightly. Maybe he was staring at Newt after all. „That's a tricky one.“, he said, his voice cracking at the end and Newt needed to know if he had stared at him or he would die. „I'd probably break into Hyde Park at night.“ He smiled at the brunet. „Yeah, that sounds like fun.“ Newt wasn't used to taking risks, so he felt his heart racing before he had even said a word.. „Count me in?“ _Wrong move, wrong move, wrong move..._ Thomas beamed at him. „Of course!“ _Right move._ Newt released the breath he was holding. „You're not afraid of heights, right?“ The blond frowned and shook his head. Heights don't really matter anyway if you're in a rollercoaster, so Newt didn't think he should worry about that. Except Thomas seemed to think so. „Amazing. Can't have you pass out on top of the ferris wheel now, can we?“ He smiled that breathtaking smile again, but Newt had already stopped breathing. 

_Ferris wheel._ That was romantic territory, wasn't it? People take their dates on ferris wheels to make out there. On top of the ferris wheel. Was Thomas _flirting with him_? Newt still wasn't sure, but he just had to. But wasn't he straight? No, Newt just thought he might be straight. But that didn't make him gay either. He discreetly checked if Thomas maybe wore a pride button somewhere, (Newt made the experience they throw around tons of these at pride festivals) but of course he wasn't that lucky. He almost cursed out loud. How was he supposed to know if he should make a move? He wanted to make a stupid move on this gorgeous boy. But he couldn't just go for it. He needed to be sure. Or it would be really awkward. It would be awkward anyway. _Oh god._ What should he do now? Newt thought he was going to have a breakdown right there in front of Thomas. Maybe he should excuse himself and go look for Minho. Ask for help. Newt almost slapped himself. Asking Minho for help with a boy he didn't just want for one night? Hilarious. He would also have to leave Thomas behind. Stupid plan. Into boys or not into boys? _Bloody hell..._

„Are you gay?“, Newt blurted out and this was the exact second he regretted ever being born and started praying to a god he doesn't believe in to just kill him. Thomas looked at him, stunned. Newt fucked this one up, didn't he? He was so stupid. He awkwardly cleared his throat and was just about to leave, not just the party but preferably the surface of earth, when he heard the brunet say: „I'm pan, actually.“ Newt sat back down. Pan. Pan was good. And Thomas didn't look angry. In fact, he looked more amused than anything else. „Is that okay?“ Newt didn't really care if Thomas was gay, bi, pan or whatever, as long as he liked _Newt_ , so he just started nodding enthusiastically, which made Thomas laugh. They looked at each other then, and Newt marvelled at all the moles the brunet had and the color of his eyes. In the weird mix of the lighting of the party and the moon they looked like liquid gold. Newt didn't know, why everything about Thomas made him want to write a whole collection of poetry, and he didn't fight it. He might name it 'The Boy made of Stardust' or something equally aesthetic. Newt was a sucker for art and this boy was a masterpiece. 

Newt was just connecting the moles on his face to imaginary constellations, when Thomas laughed again and shook Newt out of his trance. He then realized that Thomas was probably uncomfortable with his staring. "I'm sorry, I-" "Are you gonna kiss me now or are you just waiting for me to kiss you?" Newt took a second to process the information he just received. Then he dove forward and pressed his lips against Thomas'.


End file.
